Between My Fingers
by ThePaperWhale
Summary: In which Haruhi and Kyouya have their first date, Haruhi's hands are cold, and Kyouya is helplessly unsentimental.  But it works for them.   Fluffy as these two can possibly be.


"No gloves?"

Kyouya slipped his hand free of an exceptionally well insulated leather glove and touched Haruhi's. The difference in temperature shocked her numb hands.

Holding hands with Kyouya might have been an enjoyable novelty in other circumstances, but there was pride to take into consideration. She veered just to the side and held her shopping bag with both hands.

"The knitting came loose on my last pair," she said, "The cold isn't so bad anyhow."

They stood, waiting for the crossing light to change as large snowflakes hit the lightpost's surface without melting. Kyouya's expression remained impassive as he watched for the signal to change, and Haruhi had to wonder if the number of times he'd actually waited at a pedestrian crosswalk could be counted on the fingers of one perfectly warm and well manicured hand.

Easy to talk about staying warm when you get a nice cozy chauffered car to drive you everywhere.

"It is December, Fujioka-kun, and the weather is entirely, objectively cold."

Haruhi sighed, trotting ahead of him over the crosswalk. Kyouya's stilted formality would never change, would it? This was supposed to be a date, but it seemed 'entirely objective' weather reports were going to have to be a part of the sweet nothings. Not that she was one to talk; she'd insisted on detouring to the grocery store to take advantage of a sale on spaghetti and enoki mushrooms.

They were both endlessly, helplessly pragmatic people, all things considered. Romance in their words or liesure activities probably wouldn't suit them.

"Yeah, well, I'll pick up a new pair at the 100 yen store. It's not exactly worth spending lots of money to avoid a little discomfort."

"If discomfort were the only issue, perhaps that would be the case. I doubt you would consider your money better spent at a hospital to treat frostbite, although I can't say I discourage patronizing the medical industry." Kyouya smiled just a fraction, with a sideways glance at her.

God, that tiny smirk still gave her the creeps sometimes. Damn good thing she actually knew him so well or she probably would have been clutching at a can of pepper spray.

"I'm not gonna get frostbite, for crying out loud." She said.

She usually tried not to think about the cold, but repetition of the topic had her drawing a free bare hand to her lips and blowing on it. He took her wrist as they turned a corner, his own hand now cooler and less of a shock to her freezing skin.

"Would you like my professional medical opinion?"

"Senpai, you're a high school senior." Haruhi replied in deadpan tone, as usual. Maybe attempting to date insane rich-bastard friends was a bad idea after all. Well, it had been his idea, so the insanity of the proposal was inherent, if subtle.

"Invest in some good insulation or you'll catch your death of cold."

"I know that's a myth, senpai. The common cold virus is passed through-"

"Or I could buy you a pair at the ski shop we just passed."

"Absolutely not. That would be a waste of money."

"Wear mine, then." Kyouya pulled off his second glove and held it toward her without even looking at her directly.

"And have you complaining about your hands? I think not."

"At least I know better than to keep my fingers warm by blowing on them. What do you think happens to the condensation from your breath once it settles on your skin?"

Haruhi sighed deeply. She wasn't about to have a stupid argument on the crowded sidewalk, on a date, with her shopping bag full of about-to-freeze mushrooms. She lead them to sidestep towards the playground near her apartment complex, which was empty and acquiring a fine dusting of new snow.

She acquiesed to at least wear the gloves for the three block walk home.

"Just for right now." She said, setting her bag down on a seesaw.

"Keep them," he said, as she began to put them on, "I have other pairs at home. Isn't that a recycling method that the working class practice? 'Hand-me-downs'?"

"Don't play that game; I know there are consequences to accepting gifts from you, even if they are used."

"Even during the Christmas season? I'm crushed at your lack of faith in my intentions."

"Just saying, nothing in life is free." ('Especially with you' was what she wanted to say, but she kept a semblance of politeness.)

"That is very true," He said, making a show of stroking his chin as if in deep thought.

The bastard had been planning something all along hadn't he? Of course.

(Stupid, sexy bastard.)

"Well," he said, "This gift is something I have more of, something I'm willing to part with, was freely given, and is definitely something you could benefit from."

Haruhi stretched her hands in the gloves. They didn't fit quite right, but they'd do.

"So what you're saying," she said, "Is that in exchange, I owe you something that I have more of, that you would benefit from, and that's also freely given?"

She imitated his thinking gesture.

"A pasta dinner, maybe." she said. Just to screw with him.

He looked at her with mild surprise and she smirked right back at him, slipping her still-cold fingers out of the gloves and up underneath the warm fortress of his scarf. He jumped at the icy contact against his nape and she couldn't help but chuckle at him. Seeing him surprised was just too priceless.

She would have to figure out how to tickle him sometime, just to extract a little more of that delicious confusion.

Third date, maybe.

"Don't worry, Senpai, I know what you were implying."

And she was more than willing to rise up on her toes and indulge.

To say nothing of his smirk, his lips were incredibly warm.


End file.
